Apparatus for elevating liquids



1929. -F. G. KRAMER 1,739,511

APPARATUS FOR ELEVATING LIQUIDS Filed Dec. 22, 1927 v 5 Sheets-Sheet l 64- &0

fIE- 1 WITNE3$E5 INVENTOR WM Frank G.Kramer, BY

Dec. 17, 1929. F. G. KRAMER 1,739,511

APPARATUS FOR ELEVATING' LIQUIDS Filed Dec. 22, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 F I G- 5 v 59 52 72 26 I E "ZC Y 69 37 Q 53 i I t 4-9 6/ 24 I .FIE- 4 WI TNE66E5 3 INVENTOR WM QMNQL F k Kramer,

Patented Dec. 17, 1929 UNITED STATES FRANK G. KRAMER, OF UPPER DARBY, PENNSYLVANIA APPARATUS FOR ELEVATING LIQUIDS Application filed December 22, 1927. Serial No. 241,775.

My invention relates to apparatus for elevating liquids from a lower to a higher level and more particularly to apparatus in which the motive agent is an'expansible fluid, such 5 as compressed air.

Such apparatus is adaptable for use in any situation in which a gravity filled pump chamber may be submerged in the liquid to be elevated, such as a tank, well, lake or stream,

0 and any expansible fluid, capable of exerting a pressure on the liquid, may be employed. For the purpose of illustration, however, my improved apparatus will be described as used for elevating water from a well and as 15 employing compressed air as the motive agent. 7

' In apparatus of this character heretofore produced, valves orother controlling mecha-' nism were incorporated in or connected to certain parts sunk in the well or submerged in the liquid. When these parts needed repairing or replacing, it was necessary to pull all, or substantially all, of the apparatus from the well. p I

An object of this invention is to provide apparatus of this character in which the operating mechanism may be placed at a remote point and simply-connected to the parts in the well by suitable'piping. This arrangement has distinct advantages when it is desired that the well be entirely concealed, as where it is located'immediately in front of a dwelling.

Another object is to provide apparatus which is fully automatic in operation when provided with a continuous supply of compressed air.

Still another object of the invention is to provide apparatus in which theconsumption of predetermined quantities ofv the motive agent regulates the cycles of operation.

A feature of the invention resides in the novel valve through which the motive fluid passes on its way to andfrom the pump cham- .ber.

Another feature is the novel means for starting and stopping an electric motor at the beginning and end of each cycle of operation.

Theinvention comprises a casing having a tube connected therewith and a second tube connected at the top thereof and adapted to supply compressed air to the interior of the casing, the first named tube having a valve construction adapted to be opened under pressure from within the casing and the air pipe being provided with regulating means automatically controlled for supplying air to the casing and releasing air therefrom under the control of means operated by the contacts of liquid and air pressure within the casing.

One embodiment of the invention as outlined above is shown in the accompanying drawings in which,

Figure 1 is a schematic drawing showing one manner in which my invention may be carried into effect,

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary View of the principal parts of the apparatus shown inFigure 1, certain of the parts being shown in full, while the views of the operating valve and pump chamber are substantially central vertical sectional views,

Figure 3 is an enlarged view taken on line 33 of Figure 2, and V Figure 4 an enlarged cross-sectional view through the lower end of the discharge pipe. taken at right angles to the view shown in Figure 2.

In carrying my invention into effect, I provide a pump chamber adapted to be sub merged in the water in the well and provide same with a one-way valve at its lower end which will admit water to the pump chamber but will prevent itfrom being forced back into the well. A discharge pipe, which connects with the water delivery system, extends nearly to the bottom of the pump chamber and is provided with a one-way valve in its lower end so that water may enter the pipe but cannot return to the pump chamber. An air pipe leads from the top of the pipe chamber and out of the well to a control valve disposed in any suitable location. The control valve has inlet and exhaust valves car ried on a valve stem so that, when one valve is closed, the other is open. The inlet side of the control valve is connected to an air conduit leading toan air meter which, in turn,

is connected to a suitable source of supply of compressed air.

' When the pump chamber is immersed in the well, water will flow into the pump chamber whenever there is no pressure therein. The inlet valve of the control valve being opened, compressed air will flow into the pump chamber and force the water into and through the discharge pipe so that the water delivery system is filled, Whenever a faucet or valve is opened, the compressed air in the chamber will cause the water to flow until the valve is closed. When a predetermined amount of air has passed through themeter depth of the well and. the size of the pump chamber, but is stopped as soon as the valve operating mechanism has returned to its starting position so that the exhaust valve is closed and the inlet valve open.

For a more detailed description of the apparatus, reference will now be had to the V accompanying drawings in which the nucharge pipe depending from the underside meral 6 designates a pump chamber closed by a top head 7 and a bottom head 8. Aide- 'livery pipe 9 is threaded into the upper side of top head 7 and communicates with a disof head 7 and having a valve casing 11 'fixed on its lower end and terminating in a' spindle 12 which extends through a valve part 13 formed integral with bottom head 8 and ribs 8. A valve 14 encircles. the upper part of valve part 13' and is adapted torest'on valve seat 15 formed thereon and on valve seat 16 formed on bottom head Sintermediate valve part 13 and the side walls of pump chamber 6.

When immersed, water may raise valve 14 and ente-r pump chamber 6 but is prevented from fiowing outwardly as valve 14 will rest uponvalve seats 15 and 16 as soon as theupward pressure ceases. Pump chamber 6 is preferably protected against the entrance of sand by a screen 17 secured to bottom head8 and valve part'1-3, as shown in Figure 2.

A valve seat 19 is threaded into anaperture formed in one side of valve casting 11 and engaged by a valve 20 supported on a valve stem 21threaded=intoa lug 22 forming a part of valve seat 19'; valve 20.being retained in closed position by a spring23 encircling valve stem betweenits head and the inside of'valve 20. As is evident this arrangement allows waterto pass into discharge pipe 10 but prevents it from flowing outwardly therefrom. Were it not for this valve, the water in the delivery and discharge pipes would flow back into pump chamber 6 when the compressed air therein was released. 7

An air pipe 24 is threaded into top head 7, and into the body 25: of a control valve 26 intermediate its inlet chamber 27 and its exhaust chamber 28. A port 29 provides com-- munication between inlet chamber 27 and in termediate chamber 30 and a port 31, aligning with port 29, provides communication betweQI exhaust chamber 28 and intermediate chamber-30. Y A guide nut 32, threaded into one end of valve, bodyl25 and provided with a central, bore alig nn with pmsze and 31, has a valve stem sl dably mounted therein and provided with an inlet valve 34, fixed thereon and adapted, to close port 2,9, and an exhaust valve 35, removal ilyv secured thereon and adapted to close port 31.;

The outer wall of inlet chamber27, consists of a thin flexible end plate37 secured around its edges to valvetbody 25, and suitably sealed thereto, as, by means of pack; ing, to. prevent the escape: of air. The end of valve stem 33- is reducedand threaded to form a, stud 3-8, which, extends through an aperture formed inthecenten of endpl ate 37, and a valve stem extension 39 is thread; ed thereon; suitable packingnbeing prpvid'ed to prevent the, escape of air atjthispoint,

A spring 40, encircling valvestmf33, extends into. a counterbore41, formed in guide nut; 32, abuts exhaust valve and. normally holds it. against; the valve seat 42 surrounding port 31. Inlet valve 34. is, so disposed on valve stem 33, relatively to exhaust valvef3f that it will-be spaced. from. the valve seat 43 surrounding port 29wheng exhaust valve35 isclosedand; endip-late 37 distended, as shown in Figure 2. The outer end of extension39 is counterbored toaccommodate aspring 44 and the shouldered portion of a contact, 45

which is held in place the-rein by.- a cap. 45

threaded onto extension39,

Spring 44 is stronger than spring40i so that, when pressureis exerted on eontact45, endplate 37 will be sprung inwardly, valve 34 moved against seat43:and valve 35' moved away from seat 42. After valve 3-4:is*seated, additional pressure will merely compress spring 44 whose fun'cti'onis to compensate v for wear on valve 34 and to make close. ad-

j ustnients, of the valve stem unnecessary.

A motor '48 is, mounted" adjacent control va l ve 2and hasjajworm 49 connected to, or fixed on, its armature shaft and meshing a wormwheel 50 fixedpna shaft 5 1 rota tably m untfi e l ah ar e. 2;, 49a 53. ifiied onshaftfil with-thelowest pgaraof.its periphery in alignment with contact 45 when motor 48 is idle and; adapfifid :fiQ-z ngfigfireontagct 45 and move Valve stem 33 against the action of spring 40 when motor 48 is in operation.

An inlet pipe 56 connects inlet chamber 27 to a meter 57, which may be of any conventional type, and an air conduit 58 connects meter 57 with a suitable supply of compressed air. \Vhen sufficient air has passed through meter 57 to discharge the amount of water normally in pump chamber 6 above valve 20, the meter is adapted to close the motor circuit so that motor 48 will be energized, rotate cam 53, close inlet valve 34 and open exhaust valve 35 so that the compressed air in pump chamber 6 may escape through port 31, exhaust chamber 28 and an exhaust pipe 59 communieating therewith. The speed of motor 48 and the ratio between worm 49 and worm wheel 50 are such that valve stem 33 is held against the action of spring 40 a suflicient length of time to allow the compressed air to escape and pump chamber 6 to refill with water; this period of time varying according to local conditions and the size of the pump chamber.

When this period has elapsed and cam 53 made a complete revolution, a switch is operated to open the motor circuit and stop motor 48. This has been shown as being accomplished by connecting one side of motor 48 to a source of energy G by means of a conductor 60, its other side to one terminal of a three-way switch 61 b a conductor 62, connecting one terminal 0 a three-way switch 63 to source of energy G by conductor 64 and connecting the other two terminals of switches 61 and 63 to one another by conductors 65 and 66; a manually operated switch 67 being connected into conductor 64 if so desired.

Switch 61 is adapted to be operated each time cam 53 makes a complete revolution and switch 63 is adapted to be operated whenever a sufiicient amount of air has passed through the meter to force a certain quantity of water from pump chamber 6, as previously described. The switches may be actuated in a number of ways but switch 61 has been illustrated as being actuated by rollers 69 and 70 rotatably mounted diametrically opposite each other adjacent the periphery of a gear 71 rotatably mounted adjacent shaft 51 and meshing with a gear 72 fixed on shaft 51.

Gear 71 is twice the diameter of gear 72 so that it will make but a half revolution while cam 53 is making a complete revolution; rollers.69 and 70 being so disposed on gear 71 that one of them will be at the lowermost point of the gear when cam 53 is (Tut of engagement with contact 45. By placing switch 61 immediately underneath gear 71 with its push buttons in alignment with rollers 69 and 70, as shown in Figure 3, it is evident that one of these buttons will be depressed when cam 53 makes one revolution and the other button depressed when it makes the next revolution;

thus always stopping motor 48 when 'camt53 arrives at the same position.

Exactly the same arrangement has been shown for actuating switch 63 in which a gear 74 is fixed to a shaft geared to the mechanism of meter 57 and adapted to make one revolution whilethe required quantity of air is passing through the meter. A gear 75, twice the diameter of gear 74 and being meshed therewith, is rotatably mounted on or adjacent to meter 57 and provided with diametrically disposed rollers 76 and 77 which are adapted to alternately depress the push buttons of switch 63 in the same manner as rollers 69 and 7 0 operate switch 61.

Assuming that pump chamber 6 is immersed in a well and filled with water and that air conduit 58is connected to a suitable supply of compressed air, the apparatus will.

function as follows l/Vhen sufficient water has been usedfrom the delivery pipes to lower the level of the water in pump chamber 6 to a point a short distance above .valve 20, roller 76 M77 will depress one of the buttons in switch 63 and close the motor circuit. Motor 48 will rotate worm wheel 50 and cause cam 53 to move valve stem 33 until valve 34 is closed' and valve 35 opened. The compressed air in pump chamber 6 will escape through port 31 and exhaust pipe 59 and chamber 6 fill with waterfrom the well; it being understood that the length of the cam face on cam 53'and the speed at which it moves'being such that suificient time is allowed for pump chamber 6 to fill. i a revolution, roller 69 or roller 70 will engage one of the push buttons of switch 61, break the circuit and stop the motor. soon as the low spot on cam 53 isin alignment with valve stem 33, spring 40 will close exhaust valve 35, open inlet valve 34 and allow air to pass through port '29 and air pipe 24 to pump chamber 6. v

It is to be understood that the apparatus as described above may be changed within the scope of the invention herein set forth and hereinafter claimed.

I claim 1. An apparatus for pumping liquids including a gravity filled pump chamber, a dischargepipe leading therefrom, means for measuring predetermined quantities of ex pansible fluid,.and means electrically controlled through the measuring means for alternately delivering and exhausting said quantities of fluid to and from the chamber.

2. An apparatus for pumping liquids including a gravity filled pump chamber, a discharge pipe leading therefrom, means for measuring predetermined quantities of ex= As cam 53 completes pansible fluid, and means electrically oontrolled through the measuring means for alternat ely delivering and exhausting said quantities of fluid to and from the chamber;

both; of said means being located at a point remote from the chamber., v

3; apparatus for umping liquidslineluding a gravity filled pump. chamber, a discharge pipe leading, therefrom, means vfor measuring predetermined quantities. of ex.- pansible fluid, a valve for alternately admitting the fluid to the pump chamber and allowing; it to exhaust therefrom, and means including an: electric circuit and a switch therein controlled by the measuring means for actuating the valve.

4. An apparatus for pumping liquidsineluding agravity filled pump chamber, a-discharge pipe leading therefrom, a valve for alternately admitting expansible. fluid to the pump chamber and allowing it to exhaust therefrom, means for operating, the valve, a meter for measuring the quantities of ex,- pansible fluid delivered through the valve, rotatable means associated therewith. and. actuated by the measuring apparatus thereof, an electric circuit; controlling the valve operating means, a switch controlling the circuit andnollers connected with the rotatable means adapted to operatevthe switch.

5. An apparatus for pumping liquids includinga. gravity filled pump chamber, aldischarge pipe leading therefrom, a valve for alternately admitting expansible fluid to the chamber and allowing it to exhaust therefrom, a motor for operating the valve, a motor circuit, means for measuring predetermined quantitiesv of the expansiblefluid,

a switch, in the, motor circuit'closable by the measuring means, and: asecond switch, inthe motor circuit adapted to be opened by the actionoft-he moton.

6. An apparatus. for pumping liquids including: a gravity. filled pump chamber, a discharge pipe leading therefrom, a valve connected to the pump chamber for alternately admitting measured quantities of'compressed air thereto and allowingsameto escape therefrom, a meter 'for measuring. thecompressed air connectedbetween asource of supply and the valve, switch opening means .operableby the meter, a motor driven means. for actuating the valve, switch closing means operable by thes valve actuating means,.amotor circuit, a switch in, sai dcircuit, adapted to be closed by the switch closing means', and a. secondswitch in said circuit adapted, to be closed by the switch closi'ngymeans.

In testimony whereof I have signed my nameto this specification.-

FRANK G. KRAMER.

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